Roselle Tea
Roselle tea made from your own harvest, hot or cold brewed. Tart, deep red, and naturally caffeine free. The key is steeping rather than boiling.
Servings: 1 cup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 tsp dried roselle calyces about 1 tsp once crumbled (use roughly twice as much fresh roselle by volume)
- 8 oz water just off the boil (about 195°F)
- fresh orange juice for serving, optional
- honey for serving, optional
- stevia for serving, optional
Instructions
- Crumble the dried calyces between your fingers. Breaking them into smaller pieces exposes more surface area to the water, and I get better color and flavor this way.
- Place them in an infuser or teapot.
- Heat water to just off the boil. Don't boil the calyces directly.
- Pour over and steep 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the calyces and serve. A squeeze of fresh orange juice softens the tartness if you want it.
- Cold brew variation: Use ½ cup crumbled dried calyces (or 1 cup fresh) per 2 quarts cold water. Steep in the refrigerator overnight, then strain.
- Sparkling variation: Mix cold brewed roselle tea with sparkling water, about half and half.
Notes
- Crumbling dried calyces isn’t required, but I get more color and flavor when I do.
- I prefer steeping roselle in water just off the boil rather than boiling the calyces.
- Roselle can handle a longer steep without becoming bitter the way black or green tea can.
- Fresh roselle contains much more water than dried, so you’ll need more fresh calyces
Nutrition
Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 1mg | Vitamin A: 15IU | Calcium: 7mg
